New Delhi, March 11 -- The counting of votes for the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly elections 2017 will start at 8am. The first election trends and results are expected within an hour. The assembly polls are being seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity and his reforms, particularly demonetisation.
A triangular contest between Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is forecast in Uttar Pradesh.
Exit poll results on Thursday were indecisive for Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous and politically crucial state. Four of the six polls predicted Modi's will emerge the single largest party but may fall short of gaining the 202 seats need to govern in its own right in the 403-member assembly.
Track Uttar Pradesh assembly election results here - http://www.livemint.com/up-election-results-2017
The Election Commission (EC) has set up 78 counting centres in 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The EC has issued strict guidelines on security arrangements for counting of votes and has prohibited mobile phones inside the counting halls. A three-tier security perimeter has been created at the counting centres. The election results will be available on the Election Commission website www.eci.nic.in/.
Track Assembly Election Results 2017 here - http://www.livemint.com/assembly-election-results-2017
Two other polls, including the one that forecast Modi winning a majority in the 2014 national elections, expect Modi's party to sweep to power in a decisive victory.
The alliance between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) of the state's current chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, is forecast to be the second largest bloc in all polls.
Here are the latest updates on election results and trends from counting of votes in the UP assembly elections 2017:
* 9.20am: Election trends on CNN-News18 for 300 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh shows BJP is leading in 204 seats, while SP-Congress alliance is leading in 53 seats, BSP is leading in 31 seats.
9.00am: Election trends on CNN-News18 for 178 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh shows BJP is leading in 122 seats, while SP-Congress alliance is leading in 28 seats, BSP is leading in 21 seats.
A look at major contestants: SP's Azam Khan leading in Rampur. SP's Gayatri Prajapati leading in Amethi. Aparna Yadav, the wife of Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger son Prateek is trailing in Lucknow Cantt.
8.45am: Election trends posted by CNN-News18 for 88 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh suggests BJP is leading in 57 seats, while SP-Congress alliance is leading in 15 seats, BSP is leading in 12 seats.
8.30am: Initial election trends posted by CNN-News18 for 43 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh suggests BJP is leading in 24 seats, while SP-Congress alliance is leading in 11 seats, BSP is leading in 5 seats.
8.00am: The counting of votes began at 8am for the 403 Assembly seats in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh that went to polls in seven phases. Postal ballots were being counted first and initial trends are expected to be in by 9am.
A total of 78 counting centres have been set up in the state. In three districts of Amethi, Azamgarh and Kushinagar two counting centres each have been set up and in the remaining 72 district, counting will be held at one place.
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